A man has been arrested over footage shot from inside a police cordon on the day the body of Nicola Bulley was found.
The 45-year-old mum-of-two's body was pulled from the River Wyre in Lancashire on February 19, more than three weeks after she was last seen on January 27. A 34-year-old man, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) over footage which was posted online from the day her body was recovered.
The clip was reportedly shot from inside a police cordon, where investigations were being carried out. The man was held on suspicion of malicious communications offences and perverting the course of justice in connection with the investigation to find Nicola, Lancashire Constabulary said.
He was held on Wednesday morning with assistance from West Mercia Police, and has since been released on bail with conditions. "Our priority is, and has always been, to support Nicola’s family and the wider community in St Michael’s", a spokesperson for Lancashire Police said.
"We hope this arrest provides reassurance that we take concerns seriously and will act on them." It comes following reports of a number of apparent content creators descending on the village where Nicola went missing.
Experts have claimed social media algorithms that reward and encourage controversial content fuelled the waves of online interest in Nicola's case. During the investigation, Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith said social media users had been 'playing their own private detectives'.
A 'full independent review' is set to be carried out by the College of Policing into Lancashire Police’s handling of Nicola's case, it was announced last month. Conservative PCC Andrew Snowden said the public 'understandably feel that there remain questions about the handling of elements of the police investigation, how it was communicated and the decision to release personal information'.
The force said it 'welcomes the independent review', adding that it is 'keen to take the opportunity to learn'.
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